The fixes in this Alert include a change to the default Java Security Level setting from "Medium" to "High". With the "High" setting, the user is always prompted before any unsigned Java applet or Java Web Start application is run.

These vulnerabilities may be remotely exploitable without authentication, i.e., they may be exploited over a network without the need for a username and password. To be successfully exploited, an unsuspecting user running an affected release in a browser will need to visit a malicious web page that leverages these vulnerabilities. Successful exploits can impact the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of the user's system.

Due to the severity of these vulnerabilities, the public disclosure of technical details and the reported exploitation of CVE-2013-0422 "in the wild," Oracle strongly recommends that customers apply the updates provided by this Security Alert as soon as possible.

Supported Products Affected

The security vulnerabilities addressed by this Security Alert affect the products listed in the categories below. Please click on the link in the Patch Availability column or in the Patch Availability Table to access the documentation for those patches.

Modification History

Date

Comments

2013-January 13

Rev 1. Initial Release

Appendix - Oracle Java SE

Oracle Java SE Executive Summary

This Security Alert contains 2 new security fixes for Oracle Java SE. Both of these vulnerabilities may be remotely exploitable without authentication, i.e., may be exploited over a network without the need for a username and password. The English text form of this Risk Matrix can be found here.

The CVSS scores below assume that a user running a Java applet or Java Web Start application has administrator privileges (typical on Windows). When the user does not run with administrator privileges (typical on Solaris and Linux), the corresponding CVSS impact scores for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability are "Partial" instead of "Complete", lowering the CVSS Base Score. For example, a Base Score of 10.0 becomes 7.5.

Applies to client deployment of Java only. This vulnerability can be exploited only through Untrusted Java Web Start applications and untrusted Java applets. (Untrusted Java Web Start applications and untrusted applets run in the Java sandbox with limited privileges.)